BASEBALL: Pioneers pile it on late in 11-2 win over Falcons
Every batter in Trico's lineup reached base and the Pioneers racked up ten hits and nine walks against the Falcons in their 11-2 win over Elverado in Dowell on Thursday.
The Pioneers took a 2-0 lead after a hit, a walk, and an error in the top of the first before the Falcons had an answer with a run in the bottom of the inning after a walk to Clayton Funk and an RBI single by Zach Berner.
Three two-out hits by Trico against EHS starter Austin Hester in the second inning made it 4-1 before Hester settled in to put up zeroes the next two frames. The only problem was that the Falcons kept putting up zeroes as well.
Two errors, two hits and a walk handed Trico three runs (two unearned) in the fifth as the Pioneers went up 7-1.
Berner would add his second RBI for Elverado with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning when he doubled in Funk, who walked with one out, but Trico kept coming. The Pioneers scored three in the sixth off of Berner, on in relief, and added another in the seventh off of Keaton Tyner.
Hester allowed three earned runs on eight hits and three walks with five strikeouts in five innings on the mound for EHS.
Funk (2-2, 2 R, 3 BB), Berner (2-4, 2 RBI, 2B), Tyner (1-3) and Alec Valerius (1-4) had Elverado's hits against Trico.
Elverado (5-13) is at Joppa on Monday before closing out the regular season at home against Cobden on Wednesday, May 13.
The Falcons will host their IHSA Class A Regional beginning on Monday, May 18 when they take on Galatia.
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Falcons 25, Egyptian 0 (Tuesday):</span>
Right-hander Alec Valerius tossed a five-inning no-hitter and the Falcons clobbered Egyptian 25-0 after totaling 19 hits, 11 walks, and a pair of hit batters. Valerius walked four and struck out nine.
Funk (3-5, 4 R, 3 RBI, 2B, 3B, BB), Berner (3-4, 3 R, RBI, BB), Valerius (1-3, 3 R, 2 BB), Hester (3-3, 5 R, 4 RBI, 2 2B, BB, HBP), Tyner (2-2, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 3B, 2 BB, HBP), Nolan Waller (2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB), Avery Caraker (2-3, R, 3 RBI), Logan Cavitt (2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B) and Joe Ralph (1-4, 2 R, BB) had the hits for Elverado.